Newport artist and 2024 Welsh Music Prize winner L E M F R E C K dropped his latest single Stay Calm a week ago. If you haven’t been paying attention to his work, now’s the time. The track combines UK drill energy with his signature smooth melodies.
Sonically, the record had me nodding my head and swaying my shoulders to the infectious beats. Lyrically, Stay Calm cuts sharp and hits hard with lines like, “B***h, I will see you later, now I am in the papers, you’ve not met your maker, I am not your saviour, you wanna hear some bars, I might get involved.” These lines make it clear that L E M F R E C K is staying grounded and setting the pace for what’s next.
Speaking about the track, he explains, “Stay Calm is about your environment being on fire and there is nothing you can do about it. It’s the realisation that you can work on yourself as much as you like, but there are just some things you can’t change.”
This latest release follows a string of standout singles (Fine, Slip Away, Come Outside En), all leading up to his upcoming EP We’ve Been Here, set to drop on May 2nd via The Orchard. The project depicts themes of self-reflection, hindsight, and navigating right and wrong. Co-produced with Harry Edwards (known for work with Beyoncé and Travis Scott), the upcoming EP takes his alternative R&B and rap sound to another level.
He comments on the release, “The whole project is about how I struggle to learn my lesson. I have always thought that if a certain situation happens again, I would make sure I made the right decisions. Yet here I am again doing the same things that eventually lead to stress.”
Beyond the music, L E M F R E C K has been stacking up accolades. He took home the 2024 Welsh Music Prize, edging out names like Skindred, Gruff Rhys, Slate, and Elkka. His self-produced BBC documentary Black Music Wales earned a Welsh BAFTA nomination and featured industry heavyweights like Benji Webbe, Jamie Jones, Mace the Great, Juice Menace, Sage Todz, MC Eric & Technotronic.
Asides music, the KLAT cover star is also been making an impact in the Welsh community. He recently supported Children of Zeus in Cardiff and is gearing up to headline a stage at FOCUS Wales, with more festival dates on the horizon.
L E M F R E C K is obviously carving out a space for himself as a Black British rapper beyond London’s usual stronghold. His hard-hitting lyrics and grime-infused beats have landed him recognition on BBC Introducing’s Ones to Watch list in 2021 and BBC Radio Wales’s Introducing Artist of the Year in 2023. Following a North American tour that included SXSW and M for Montreal, he has sold out shows in London and Cardiff and played The Great Escape and Horizons Gorwelion festivals.
Reflecting on his Welsh Music Prize win, he shared, “Winning the WMP is far bigger than my musical journey. The messages I’ve received from people who make music not necessarily associated with Wales who are now inspired and motivated is more than I could ask for. I’m simply just a representation of the importance of diversity in art.”
With Stay Calm, L E M F R E C K continues to push his creativity. If you haven’t listened yet, now’s the time.
Stream Stay Calm here and get ready for We’ve Been Here, dropping May 2nd.
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